Caribbean culture and heritage extends far beyond museums and one-off events. It is shaped every day by craft practices, ancestral languages, state investment in public art, the institutional recognition of certain cities, and the commitment of new generations. Here’s an overview of the situation, backed up by verifiable data, to help you better understand the vitality and complexity of Caribbean culture and cultural heritage.
Haiti: 10% of the working population in cultural crafts
According to UNESCO, around 10% of Haitian workers are engaged in cultural crafts. This includes the manufacture of costumes, masks, drums, religious objects and everyday items, all of which are the bearers of ancestral know-how. Although often informal, this sector is an essential economic resource and a pillar of Haitian culture and heritage. It bears witness to the ongoing transmission of gestures, materials and meanings carried by collective memory.
Aruba: 44 to 54 state-supported frescoes in San Nicolás
Since 2016, the San Nicolás district has established itself as the capital of Caribbean street art. Thanks to the Aruba Art Fair and the support of the Tourism Product Enhancement Fund and Fundacion Artisa, between 44 and 54 murals have been created, attracting international artists. These works transform urban space into a living museum, affirming the island’s identity through social, historical and ecological messages. This public policy makes art a powerful lever for promoting local culture and heritage.
Two Caribbean cities named "Creative Cities" by UNESCO
Only two Caribbean cities have joined UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network: Jacmel (Haiti) for popular arts in 2014, and Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago) for music in 2019. Jacmel promotes papier-mâché, traditional carnivals and local know-how. Port of Spain, cradle of the steelpan, brings a powerful musical heritage to life in the public arena. This label underlines the structuring role of culture and heritage in sustainable urban policies.
The Caribbean relies on culture for sustainable development
The Transcultura program, supported by the European Union and UNESCO, has identified 34 strategic cultural resources in 17 Caribbean countries by 2023. This mapping highlights sites, know-how and festivals that are essential for local economic development, cultural tourism and the promotion of regional culture and heritage.
25 "Creative Caribbean" grants for cultural players (2023-2024)
The project Creative Caribbean project, supported by UNESCO, CARICOM and the University of the West Indies, has awarded 25 grants to artists and cultural entrepreneurs across the region in 2023-2024. This support aims to strengthen creative employment, the structuring of cultural sectors and the anchoring of culture and heritage in national economies.
A living heritage, in action and changing
These five figures demonstrate a living reality: Caribbean culture and heritage is not frozen in the past, but is constantly evolving. It is rooted in the craft practices of Haiti, the murals of Aruba, the linguistic polyphony of the region, the UNESCO-labeled cities and the massive involvement of young people in Trinidad and Tobago.
This heritage is created, transmitted and reinvented every day. It deserves to be supported by ambitious public policies, but also recognized and celebrated by the citizens of the Caribbean and beyond. For it is through this living culture and heritage that the region continues to make its voice heard in the world.
